


Blissful Ignorance

by buzzbuzz34



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: F/F, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/buzzbuzz34/pseuds/buzzbuzz34
Summary: Set after episode 106 when Elias tells Melanie how her father died, she tries to be alone with her thoughts and tears.  Or, as alone as she can be in a place where she's always watched.  But Basira isn't about to let her go through this on her own.





	Blissful Ignorance

Melanie smacked her leg on something as she marched through the Archives, but she didn’t stop for a moment.  No one else would see her cry.  And with tears still leaking from her eyes, the only way to make that happen was to keep moving before anyone could stop her.  The pain in her thigh where she’d slammed into a desk didn’t even matter.  Not compared to the pain in her head and her heart. 

She stepped into the soundproof room where Jon did some of his recording and where she’d been told Martin had actually lived for several months during the worm incident.  Her body shivered at the thought of being stuck in the Institute for that long.  For this to have been the safest place out there? 

But, even in a fit of rage and dug-up trauma, Melanie found herself inside the Institute too.  She just as easily could have run outside and found a quiet alley or a coffee shop or literally anywhere else.  But she was still here. 

Didn’t matter.  With the door firmly shut behind her, the tears she’d been holding since leaving Elias’ office poured forth and she slumped to her knees. 

“You bastard!”  She screamed between sobs.  Knowing how her father suffered… how she did nothing to help him… how he died in agony in a place beyond so many of the horrors she’d read about… And Elias just pushed aside her thoughts and memories to tell her the truth of how her father died. 

How dare he?  How dare he reach inside her brain and tweak things just to keep her complacent?  She should have shot him when she had the chance.  At least then she wouldn’t be stuck here in a world where even blissful ignorance could be an easy casualty. 

More rage boiled up inside of her as she realized that her desire to have no one see her cry was pointless.  Elias would see her all the same, tucked away in his domain, and think his method and execution perfect.  One more pawn, back under his control. 

“Bastard…” she muttered as her head ached and her chest heaved. 

“Melanie?”

She hadn’t heard the door open nor anyone enter, and the voice shook her out of her tear-drenched reverie.  Her hand reached to her boot where she kept a knife, just in case.  But, when she saw who had interrupted her, she faltered and said nothing. 

“I would ask if you’re alright,” Basira said quietly as she shut the door behind her and stepped over to Melanie.  “But I think anyone could see that that’s not the case.”  She plopped down on the floor, pretzel-legged, a short distance away.  “Is there anything I can do?”

Melanie attempted to dry her drenched face, but more tears soon took their place. 

“Elias… he… he messed around in my head, and…”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to,” Basira stated as she put a hand on Melanie’s shoulder.  “I just didn’t want you to go through whatever this is on your own.”

Melanie let out a broken chuckle.  “I don’t like anyone to see me cry.”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“No.  Please… please stay.”

Her voice was desperate and pleading, more so than she would ever want to admit.  Melanie leaned forward and rested her forehead against Basira’s shoulder as another round of tears welled up inside of her.  Tears sunk into her hijab, and Basira held her even tighter. 

“I’ve got you, I’ve got you…” Basira murmured into Melanie’s ear. 

It was some time before Melanie removed herself from the embrace, finding herself practically sitting in Basira’s lap.  “Thank you,” she muttered, her voice hoarse from crying.

“You’re welcome.”  Basira absentmindedly rubbed her thumb along Melanie’s arm, a gentle, calming motion. 

“I’m sorry for crying all over you,” Melanie said with a faint smile.  Basira was soaked from her tears, but she only shrugged.

“Please.  It’s fine.  Obviously, I hope you aren’t in such a state again, but if you are, just say the word.  My shoulder is yours to cry on.  And I meant what I said.  I’ve got you.  There’s a lot going on here, but I’m not about to let you go through any of it on your own.” 

She smiled faintly and met Melanie’s eye before leaning forward and pressing a slow kiss to her forehead. 

“Thank you.  Again.  For everything,” Melanie said, then stood and extended a hand to help Basira off the floor.  “Do you want a drink?”

“You know I don’t drink alcohol, right?”

“I know.  I didn’t say alcohol.  I was thinking of that milkshake place.  If I start drinking anything harder right now I’ll be _really_ messed up and even I’m smart enough to know getting into that state would end badly.  Probably for myself, possibly for Elias, because I would be liable to stab him, repeatedly, but… that doesn’t matter.  I want a milkshake.  And I would really like it if you’d come with me.”

Melanie’s eyes were bloodshot from crying and her voice croaked, but there was a sincerity in her smile that Basira couldn’t deny. 

“Milkshakes sound perfect.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed! I really like this ship so there will probably be more where this came from, even though this one can be read as entirely platonic if you want. Come check out more of my writing at kellanswritingblog.tumblr.com or come chat at moirasberet.tumblr.com. Thanks again! <3


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